Vote Smart provides easy access to congressional and state voting records and maintains a collection of key votes grouped by issue. Vote Smart uses the following criteria to select key votes:
Vote Smart provides a summary of the version of the bill text associated with each selected key vote. Our summaries are written by Vote Smart's staff and interns, who adhere to our strict policies and procedures in order to guarantee absolute impartiality and accuracy. They do not necessarily reflect the content of the final version of the bill, but rather the version voted on in that stage. While many procedural votes take place before a full chamber vote, our voting stages reflect the final reading of each chamber vote. Each key vote selection is reviewed by the project's community of advisors, who are political scientists and journalists from all fifty states.
For more information about the legislative process, see here.
Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nov. 8, 1993 | National | S Amdt 1132 | Prohibiting the Death Penalty for Minors | Amendment Tabled - Senate (52 - 41) |
Sept. 4, 1997 | National | H Amdt 318 | International Family Planning amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (234 - 191) |
Aug. 6, 1998 | National | H Amdt 874 | Low Income Educational Scholarship Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (214 - 208) |
April 2, 1992 | National | S Amdt 1757 | Prohibiting Federal Funding of Human Sexual Behavior Surveys | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 46) |
Dec. 3, 2009 | National | S Amdt 2791 | Preventive Services Coverage Requirements | Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 39) |
June 21, 1995 | National | S Amdt 1446 | Drinking and Driving Minors Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 36) |
Sept. 20, 1995 | National | H Amdt 814 | Drinking and Driving Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (223 - 203) |
Sept. 9, 1997 | National | H Amdt 335 | Family Planning Parental Notification Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (220 - 201) |
July 12, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1280 | Family Planning Services Clinics Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (232 - 193) |
Nov. 5, 1993 | National | S Amdt 1117 | Charging Teens as Adults for Crimes Involving a Firearm | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 23) |
Aug. 7, 1998 | National | H Amdt 871 | Adoption Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 192) |
July 12, 1996 | National | H Amdt 1280 | Family Planning Services Clinics Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (232 - 193) |
Oct. 8, 1998 | National | H Amdt 923 | Contraceptive Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 200) |
Oct. 8, 1998 | National | H Amdt 923 | Contraceptive Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 200) |
July 20, 2000 | National | HR 4810 | Marriage Tax Relief Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (271 - 156) |
July 21, 2000 | National | HR 4810 | Marriage Tax Relief Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 34) |
April 10, 2003 | National | S 151 | Enhance AMBER Alert bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (400 - 25) |
June 24, 1998 | National | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 36) |
June 18, 1998 | National | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (225 - 197) |
Aug. 1, 1996 | National | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (78 - 21) |
July 31, 1996 | National | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - House (328 - 101) |
Dec. 21, 1995 | National | HR 4 | Welfare Reform Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (245 - 178) |
Dec. 22, 1995 | National | HR 4 | Welfare Reform Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 47) |
Sept. 8, 1993 | National | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (57 - 40) |
Aug. 6, 1993 | National | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (275 - 152) |
Nov. 14, 2007 | National | HR 1429 | Head Start Act of 2007 | Conference Report Adopted - House (381 - 36) |
Dec. 19, 2005 | National | S 1932 | Budget Reconciliation Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (212 - 206) |
Dec. 14, 2005 | National | HR 3010 | Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (215 - 213) |
Sept. 23, 2004 | National | HR 1308 | Child Tax Credit Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 3) |
Sept. 23, 2004 | National | HR 1308 | Child Tax Credit Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (339 - 65) |
Sept. 27, 2007 | National | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (67 - 29) |
Sept. 25, 2007 | National | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (265 - 159) |
Sept. 19, 1995 | National | HR 4 | Welfare Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (87 - 12) |
July 23, 1996 | National | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24) |
Oct. 27, 2005 | National | HR 3010 | Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 3) |
Aug. 2, 2007 | National | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31) |
Jan. 29, 2009 | National | HR 2 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization and Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 32) |
Sept. 15, 1998 | National | S 2073 | Juvenile Crime Control and Delinquency Prevention Act | Bill Passed - House (280 - 126) |
Aug. 3, 1993 | National | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (58 - 41) |
April 23, 1998 | National | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 43) |
Nov. 19, 1993 | National | HR 3351 | Youth Offenders Alternative Punishment | Bill Passed - House (336 - 82) |
Feb. 3, 1993 | National | HR 1 | Family & Medical Leave Bill | Bill Passed - House (265 - 163) |
Oct. 21, 1999 | National | S 1692 | Ban on Partial-Birth/Late Term Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 34) |
July 18, 1996 | National | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - House (256 - 170) |
March 24, 1995 | National | HR 4 | Welfare Reform Bill | Bill Passed - House (234 - 199) |
April 21, 1994 | National | HR 4092 | Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 | Bill Passed - House (285 - 141) |
May 16, 2002 | National | HR 4737 | Temporary Aid to Needy Families | Bill Passed - House (229 - 197) |
June 30, 1999 | National | HR 1218 | Child Custody Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (270 - 159) |
Feb. 10, 2000 | National | HR 6 | Changes in Income Tax Deductions for Married Couples | Bill Passed - House (268 - 158) |
March 2, 2000 | National | S 1134 | Education Savings Accounts | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
11/08 | S Amdt 1132 | Prohibiting the Death Penalty for Minors | Amendment Tabled - Senate (52 - 41) |
9/04 | H Amdt 318 | International Family Planning amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (234 - 191) |
8/06 | H Amdt 874 | Low Income Educational Scholarship Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (214 - 208) |
4/02 | S Amdt 1757 | Prohibiting Federal Funding of Human Sexual Behavior Surveys | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 46) |
12/03 | S Amdt 2791 | Preventive Services Coverage Requirements | Amendment Adopted - Senate (61 - 39) |
6/21 | S Amdt 1446 | Drinking and Driving Minors Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 36) |
9/20 | H Amdt 814 | Drinking and Driving Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (223 - 203) |
9/09 | H Amdt 335 | Family Planning Parental Notification Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (220 - 201) |
7/12 | H Amdt 1280 | Family Planning Services Clinics Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (232 - 193) |
11/05 | S Amdt 1117 | Charging Teens as Adults for Crimes Involving a Firearm | Amendment Adopted - Senate (64 - 23) |
8/07 | H Amdt 871 | Adoption Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (227 - 192) |
7/12 | H Amdt 1280 | Family Planning Services Clinics Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (232 - 193) |
10/08 | H Amdt 923 | Contraceptive Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 200) |
10/08 | H Amdt 923 | Contraceptive Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (224 - 200) |
7/20 | HR 4810 | Marriage Tax Relief Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (271 - 156) |
7/21 | HR 4810 | Marriage Tax Relief Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (60 - 34) |
4/10 | S 151 | Enhance AMBER Alert bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (400 - 25) |
6/24 | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 36) |
6/18 | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (225 - 197) |
8/01 | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (78 - 21) |
7/31 | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Conference Report Adopted - House (328 - 101) |
12/21 | HR 4 | Welfare Reform Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (245 - 178) |
12/22 | HR 4 | Welfare Reform Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (52 - 47) |
9/08 | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (57 - 40) |
8/06 | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (275 - 152) |
11/14 | HR 1429 | Head Start Act of 2007 | Conference Report Adopted - House (381 - 36) |
12/19 | S 1932 | Budget Reconciliation Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (212 - 206) |
12/14 | HR 3010 | Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (215 - 213) |
9/23 | HR 1308 | Child Tax Credit Bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 3) |
9/23 | HR 1308 | Child Tax Credit Bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (339 - 65) |
9/27 | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (67 - 29) |
9/25 | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (265 - 159) |
9/19 | HR 4 | Welfare Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (87 - 12) |
7/23 | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 24) |
10/27 | HR 3010 | Labor, HHS and Education FY 2006 Appropriations Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (94 - 3) |
8/02 | HR 976 | State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization | Bill Passed - Senate (68 - 31) |
1/29 | HR 2 | Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization and Expansion | Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 32) |
9/15 | S 2073 | Juvenile Crime Control and Delinquency Prevention Act | Bill Passed - House (280 - 126) |
8/03 | HR 2010 | National Service Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (58 - 41) |
4/23 | HR 2646 | Education Savings Accounts bill | Bill Passed - Senate (56 - 43) |
11/19 | HR 3351 | Youth Offenders Alternative Punishment | Bill Passed - House (336 - 82) |
2/03 | HR 1 | Family & Medical Leave Bill | Bill Passed - House (265 - 163) |
10/21 | S 1692 | Ban on Partial-Birth/Late Term Abortion | Bill Passed - Senate (63 - 34) |
7/18 | HR 3734 | Welfare Reform Act of 1996 | Bill Passed - House (256 - 170) |
3/24 | HR 4 | Welfare Reform Bill | Bill Passed - House (234 - 199) |
4/21 | HR 4092 | Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 | Bill Passed - House (285 - 141) |
5/16 | HR 4737 | Temporary Aid to Needy Families | Bill Passed - House (229 - 197) |
6/30 | HR 1218 | Child Custody Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (270 - 159) |
2/10 | HR 6 | Changes in Income Tax Deductions for Married Couples | Bill Passed - House (268 - 158) |
3/02 | S 1134 | Education Savings Accounts | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37) |